Trunk-strap.



F. C. ISITT.

TRUNK STRAP.

APPLIOATION FILED 1120.9, 1911.

1,077,716. Patented NOVA, 1913.

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FREDERICK C. ISIT'I, .OF RUSS, CALIFORNIA.

TRUNK-STRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

Application filed December 9, 19111 Serial No. 664,740.

new and useful Improvements in Trunk-y Straps, of which the following is al specifi-V cation.

My present invention relates to binding devices, suoli as trunk straps, whereby itis desired to retain portions of an aiticle or, a plurality of articles in close relation with cach other.

The principal object of my invention ist to provide a device whereby the strap or flexible member may be drawn and ynormally retained taut about an article or articles,

such operation being facilitated by the com' bination of elements to be herein more fully set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, forming a part of this specification :Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a trunk showing the application of my device thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, of what I hereinafter term a drum device, with portions of a flexible member associated therewith, Fig; 3, is a vertical longitudinal section through the saine. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on substantially the lines 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a drum used in connection with the device. Fig. 6 is a face view of an operating lever used in connection with the device. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the device as shown in Fig. 2, on a reduced scale.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the views.

As shown in the drawing, 1 designates the body of a trunk, 2 the cover thereof, which is retained in closed relation to the body, and the trunlr structure embraced by a flexible member 3, such as a strap. The strap is drawn taut about the trunk structure by a drum device designated generally by 4. The drum device includes a drum 5 provided with journals 6 which have bearings in the walls 7 of a suitable casing S inclosing the drum. The casing 8, generally speaking, is preferably flat, and, in addition to the walls 7, includes two oppositely disposed curved walls 9, one of which is provided with a transversely extending slot 10, disposed substantially parallel to thel axis of the drum 5.

Referring more particularly to the drum 5, it is further provided with an axially extending slot 11 and polygonal formed portions `12 and 13, or their equivalent, the portion 1Q being complementally formed to an aperture 14 in a lever 15, by whichthe drum may be revolved, while the portion 13 is adapted to carry with the drum, a ratchet wheel 15. l y,

The flexible member 3 is rigidly secured to thecasing 8,. at 18, one of the flat portions, and extends over the curved wall 9 opposite that whichcontains the slot 10. Inasmuch as the casing will be ,preferably made 4of rigid metahthis rounding` wall avoids cutting of the flexible member should the drum device 4 be placed near the edge of the trunlnor article it is associated with. And further, since articles suoli as trunks are roughly `handled in transportation, these rounding edges avoid cutting of the flexible member should some force be applied thereto adjacent the drum device. The opposite end of the flexible member 3 from connection 1S, is brought .through the slot 10 and operatively connectedV to the drum 5, so as to be wound thereupon when the drinn is revolved in a certain direction. As a simple means of connection between the drum 5 and the iiexible member 3, the latter may be drawn through the slot 11 in the former as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

The ratchet wheel 16 is so dispos-ed as to normally resist movement of the drum 5 in a direction counterto that in which it is rotated for drawing in, or taut, the flexible member 3, the ratchet wheel coacting with a pawl 19, pivoted at 20 and normally held in engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring 21. The pawl 19 is further provided with a pin 22 extending through a slot 23 in one of the walls 7, to provide for its manual v disengagement from the ratchet wheel.

To facilitate assemblage of the device, one wall 7 may be rigidly secured to the remainder of the casing S by rivet 24, while the opposite wall may be secured by the screws 25 as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

The operation of the device is as follows The flexible member 3 is placed about the `article or articles to be bound and the drum 5 is revolved to wind upon it the flexible member. As the drum revolves the pawl 19 is automatically moved from and returned to the ratchet wheel 16 preventing reverse movement of the drum 5. The revolving of the drum 5 is continued until the flexible member 3 is drawn tightly about the article or articles to be bound and is retained in binding relation by the paWl 19. Vhen the flexible member 3 is to be released the drum 5 is revolved lightly forward bythe lever l5 and the paWl 19 disengaged, and so held manually, until the flexible member is slack.

It Will be seen that one end of the strap is rigidly connected l with the casing in a line coincident with the direction of the line of pull. The other end of the strap is connected with .theY drum in a line coincident With the line of pull. NOW the casing has a relatively iiat, broad bottom adapted to loosely engage the trunk and this flat, broad bottom is disposed parallel with the lines of a leather strap will soon Wear if it is not subjected to tension stress in the line of pull. Straps around the buckle of a trunk Wear out at that point before they Wear out at any other point. NOW it is one of the objects of my invention to prolong the life of a trunk strap and at the same time provide a device which may be completely detached from the trunk when the same is not in transport.

I claimz In combination, a strap adapted to be eX- tended'around an article, and a casing adapted to be loosely disposed on such article, one of the strap ends being connected With the casing and having its connected portions disposed coincident With the line cf pull on the strap in one direction, strap tightening and locking mechanism in the casing, the other end of the strap being connected With said mechanism and extending toward the casing in a direction opposite to the direction of the first named end and also in a direction r in presence of two Witnesses.

FREDERICK C. ISITT. Vitnesses F. P. SCHROEDER, W. A. STOCK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

